One of the interesting dynamics concerning the stock market in 2025 is that trade policies from Washington, D.C., have actually boosted many international stocks. There are a host of reasons for this, from the general uncertainty provided by ever-changing tariff threats to the specific relationships that some international companies have with core customers. But the bottom line is this: If you’re only looking at U.S. stocks this year, you’re missing out.
Proof of this comes from the best European stocks, some of which are up as much as 70% since Jan. 1. Those aren’t risky small caps, either, but established names that many American consumers would recognize.
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The following list of the best European stocks to buy now have all put up strong performances recently, and boast strong outlooks for the rest of 2025. Additionally, they all have market values of more than $20 billion, so domestic investors can have confidence in these overseas investments:
| Stock | Sector | Market value | Headquarters |
| Amer Sports Inc. (ticker: AS) | Consumer discretionary | $21 billion | Finland |
| Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (BUD) | Consumer staples | $137 billion | Belgium |
| ArcelorMittal SA (MT) | Materials | $23 billion | Luxembourg |
| Banco Santander SA (SAN) | Financials | $120 billion | Spain |
| Novartis AG (NVS) | Health care | $237 billion | Switzerland |
| Novo Nordisk AS (NVO) | Health care | $360 billion | Denmark |
| Spotify Technology SA (SPOT) | Communication services | $145 billion | Luxembourg |
Amer Sports Inc. (AS)
Sector: Consumer discretionary Market value: $21 billion Headquarters: Finland
Amer Sports designs and sells sporting equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories worldwide. This includes leading outdoor gear from Solomon, baseball equipment under the Louisville Slugger brand and Wilson-brand tennis and racquet sport items, to name a few. Based in Helsinki, this corporate parent has global brands with loyal customers that are sure to withstand any ups and downs in short-term economic indicators. As proof, AS is predicting revenue growth between 15% and 17% in 2025, even with U.S. tariffs of 30% on China and 10% on the rest of the world factored in. Shares have rallied about 30% since Jan. 1 as a result of these strong fundamentals, proving Amer Sports is among the best European stocks to buy now.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (BUD)
Sector: Consumer staples Market value: $137 billion Headquarters: Belgium
Anheuser-Busch InBev may be the brand that many Americans know and love because of its Michelob Ultra and Budweiser offerings. However, this global beer conglomerate is headquartered in Europe and also includes popular international drinks from Modelo to Brahma to Stella Artois to Skol. Tracing its oldest brand back to 1366, this is about as established a company as you will find — though admittedly, U.S. brands like Bud didn’t join the fold until a 2008 megamerger. But the wide-ranging product portfolio provides incredible reliability, on top of a consumer staples focus that ensures steady performance even in tough times. That reliability is in part why investors have flocked to BUD stock in 2025, driving this investment up an impressive 40% or so year to date.
ArcelorMittal SA (MT)
Sector: Materials Market value: $23 billion Headquarters: Luxembourg
Whenever inflation is a concern for investors, it can help to add some hard assets or raw materials to your portfolio. And ArcelorMittal is one of the largest integrated steel and mining companies in the world, focused on a range of metal products that are vital to customers in the automotive, appliance, construction, energy and machinery industries. While there is certainly volatility amid global trade wars right now along with inflationary pressures, the firm’s close connections with Europe as well as local operations in Asia and South America will help it to meet the strong baseline demand of a host of industries that require MT’s steel to keep their businesses running. As proof of this outlook, shares of this top European stock are up more than 30% this year even as other companies have struggled in the face of looming tariffs.
[Read: 7 Up and Coming Stocks to Buy in 2025]
Banco Santander SA (SAN)
Sector: Financials Market value: $120 billion Headquarters: Spain
One of the top-performing European stocks of 2025, Madrid-based bank Santander has been red hot this year. In fact, its generous yield of nearly 3% plus a stellar 80%-plus gain since Jan. 1 makes it one of the best investments across any geography. The company provides financial services worldwide, ranging from retail banking to wealth management and corporate financial services. Founded in 1856, it is the preeminent bank in Spain and remains a go-to financial provider across the Spanish-speaking world with more than 3,000 branches across South America. Larger than Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) and just a hair smaller than Citigroup Inc. (C), this Spanish financial leader is an established bank with a bright outlook in 2025.
Novartis AG (NVS)
Sector: Health care Market value: $237 billion Headquarters: Switzerland
Pharmaceuticals giant Novartis is focused on areas including cardiovascular diseases, neuroscience and oncology. These specific areas lend themselves to maintenance drugs that generate consistent revenue from patients over time. For instance, its two leading blockbusters at present include anti-inflammatory psoriasis and arthritis drug Cosentyx and heart disease treatment Entresto. Share prices have risen more than 20% in 2025 thanks to investors looking for blue-chip stocks with a low risk profile. Thanks to consistent performance along with its presence in the generally lower-risk sector of health care, which sees durable spending even in tough times, NVS ranks as one of the best European stocks to buy now.
Novo Nordisk AS (NVO)
Sector: Health care Market value: $360 billion Headquarters: Denmark
Novo Nordisk is a specialized pharmaceutical stock with the perfect specialty for the decades to come — namely, diabetes and obesity care. It also provides treatments for rare blood and endocrine system disorders, but it’s the focus on diabetes and obesity that is clearly the biggest draw for investors lately. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy treatment just topped $8 billion in sales for 2024 to tighten its grip on this growth market. NVO shares have been choppy in 2025, but durable revenue from existing diabetes products plus its growth business in weight loss drugs is fueling 15% to 20% revenue growth annually for the next few years. Considering the persistent troubles with weight management and health issues around the globe, Novo Nordisk is a health care stock that has a bright long-term outlook. While the stock is still down year to date, it has some momentum as of mid-June, having gained nearly 20% in the last month.
Spotify Technology SA (SPOT)
Sector: Communications services Market value: $145 billion Headquarters: Luxembourg
With more than 50% gains since Jan. 1, Spotify is one of the best European stocks of 2025 — and with shares up nearly tenfold from their 2022 lows, SPOT stock is one of the market’s standouts over the medium-term, too. That said, it hasn’t been an easy road for Spotify since its 2018 initial public offering. The company ran into some headwinds and was forced to enact a period of cost-cutting and restructuring soon after entering public markets. But the good news is that those moves have paid off, with the firm ending fiscal 2024 with earnings that showed gross margin and free cash flow both hitting records. The stock continues to hit all-time highs and stands out as a streaming media leader that has a bright future in the years ahead.
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7 Best European Stocks to Buy Now originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 06/12/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
